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Palestinians Fire on Border Crossings, Hamas Held Responsible by UN Body
by Tovah Lazaroff
Hamas's failure to secure the passages into the Gaza Strip drew criticism from an unlikely source last week, John Ging, who heads the United Nation's Relief and Works Agency's operations in the Strip. "It is very clear the responsibility lies with the Palestinians," Ging told The Jerusalem Post by telephone from Gaza, on a day when Palestinians fired mortar shells at two of the three open passages into Gaza. Such activity, he said, "directly impacts on the humanitarian plight of the Palestinians living in Gaza." (Jerusalem Post)
Abbas: Hamas Is Giving Al-Qaeda a Foothold in Gaza
 "Through Hamas, al-Qaeda is entering the Gaza Strip," Mahmoud Abbas told Italian state television RAI last week. "It is Hamas that is protecting al-Qaeda, and through its bloody behavior Hamas has become very close to al-Qaeda," he said. (Reuters)
See also The Growing al-Qaeda Presence in the Hamas-Controlled Gaza Strip - Lt. Col. (res.) Jonathan D. Halevi (JCPA)
Syria Rejects Offer to Hold Peace Talks
 Damascus has rejected Prime Minister Olmert's offer to hold peace talks with President Assad, Army Radio reported last week. In an interview with the Saudi satellite station Al Arabiya, Olmert invited Assad to Jerusalem to talk. Olmert said: "Bashar Assad, you know...I am ready to hold direct negotiations with you, and you also know that it's you who insists on speaking to the Americans. The American president says: 'I don't want to stand between Bashar Assad and Ehud Olmert. If you want to talk, sit down and talk.'" (Jerusalem Post)
Peacekeeping with Hizbullah's Help
by Nicholas Blanford
 Some of the European contingents in the UN peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon are now seeking the cooperation of the Iran-backed Hizbullah to help protect them from al-Qaeda-inspired militants. Since last month's bomb ambush that killed six Spanish and Colombian UNIFIL soldiers, there have been discreet contacts between some UNIFIL contingents and Hizbullah representatives, including at least one meeting involving Spanish UNIFIL officers. Furthermore, Hizbullah officials have met with Spanish diplomats in Beirut and the Madrid government is believed to have held talks with Iran, Hizbullah's patron, on the safety of its peacekeepers. At least one other European contingent enjoys regular direct contact with Hizbullah. (TIME)
See also Kowtowing to Hizbullah by Zvi Bar'el (Ha'aretz)
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Jewish Leaders Concerned by Trend to Delegitimize Israel
by Amiram Barkat
 The trend toward delegitimizing Israel's existence as a Jewish state is growing not only in Europe, but also in the United States, according to Jewish-American academics and community leaders. Anti-Israel attacks are even beginning to affect Jewish supporters of Israel, who have been accused of trying to silence public debate, they said. This trend toward delegitimization was one of the topics discussed at a conference on the future of the Jewish people that opened in Jerusalem last week. The conference, attended by researchers, heads of Jewish organizations and senior Israeli politicians, was organized by the Jewish People Policy Planning Institute. (Ha'aretz)
See also Peace, Love and Anti-Semitism (YouTube)
Kidnapped Soldiers' Dog Tags Captivate Congress
by Nathaniel Rosen
 When U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi traveled to the Middle East in April, she brought with her a piece of jewelry that was not part of the standard politician's attire. It was a replica set of dog tags of the three IDF soldiers kidnapped last year; she presented them to Syrian leader Bashar Assad in Damascus, to pressure him to work for their return. Now almost every member of Congress has such a set of dog tags, as the United Jewish Communities distributed them ahead of last week's one-year anniversary of the abductions of reservists Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev near the Lebanese border. (Jerusalem Post)
IDF Soldier Killed in Gaza Clash
by Amos Harel
 An Israel Defense Forces soldier, 21-year-old Arbel Reich (pictured), was killed and two were wounded last week when a bomb exploded near them in Bureij in the central Gaza Strip. An IDF spokeswoman said forces were operating in the area to "foil terrorist actions." (Ha'aretz)
'If Hamas Uses Aid Properly, There'll Be No Crisis'
by Sheera Claire Frenkel
 There is no impending humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, Coordinator of Government Activity in the Territories Maj.-Gen. Yosef Mishlav told the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee last week. Israel has transferred 40,000 tons of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip in recent weeks, he said. "If that aid is used properly there will be no humanitarian crisis, no hunger," he added. (Jerusalem Post)
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